Liquid dispensing means



3- s. w. BURNHAM 2,126,731

LIQUID DISPENSING MEANS Filed Jan. 23, 1937 aiented Aug. 16, 1938 PATENT OFFICE LIQUID DISPENSING MEANS Stanley Ward Burnham, Elizabeth, N. 3., assignor to Merck & Co. Inc., Rahway, N. J., a-corporation 01 New Jersey Application January 23, 193i, Serial No. 121,92ll 4 Claims. (Cl. ear-1n) This invention relates to certain new and'useful improvements in liquid dispensing means.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a liquid dispensing means where liquid is 5 intended to be dispensed slowly, as by drops, the dispensing means being attached to a container when the latter is to be used, but which container is otherwise maintained in a substantially airtight condition by the use of an ordinary cap. it ill. iurther object of the invention is to provide a liquid dispensing means of the foregoing charactor wherein the cap is constructed to effect the pensing oi thelinuld in drops, the cap including a relatively small longitudinally extending bore in the neck thereof through which a relatively short wick extends with the inner end oi the wiclr normally out oi contact with the liquld contents of the container, while theouter end. oi" the capis provided with a pouring spout 2i} into which the loore oi the cap opens and also into which the outer end of the wick extends for directing the flow of liquid in drops.

i l. iurther object oi the invention is to provide a liquid dispensing means to effect the dispensing oi liquid in drops and primarily intended for the dispensing of volatile liquid of an anesthetic character, such as divlnyl ether, etc.-

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing as applied to a bottle although, of

course, 'it is not restricted thereto. The bottle illustrated has a cap which includes a wick occupying an opening through the cap normally to retard the flow of liquid and to prevent loss thereoi by evaporation or the like, volatilization of the liquid being controlled by the exposure of the bottle to the hand of the user, with the transmission of heat from the hand to the volatile,

liquid increasing the flowthereof to the desired degree, the use of a vent in the cap toefiect flow of the liquid through the passage containing the- Y equipped with the improved liquid dispensing Figure 2 is another side elevational view of tile 53- bottle laid on one side and partly broken away and shown in section to illustrate the construction of the liquid dispensing cap with the wick 7 located in the dispensing bore in the cap;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the cap showing the pouring spout carried thereby and the 5 wick carried by the cap extending into the spout;

Figure l is a detail sectional view taken on line l l oi Figure 1 showing the relatively short wicl: carried by the cap and ot a length to be normally out of contact with the liquid contents 110 oi the bottle; and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line oi Figure l, showing the ill-shaped pouring spout.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying 15 drawing, the reference character it designates a bottle having a neck l i that is externally threaded as at it adjacent its outer end with the threads defining an abutment shoulder it as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4. While the bot- 2L tle may he or any size or design desired, the

same is primarily intended to maintain a quantity of an anesthetic, such as divlnyl ether or the like for a single dosage and said bottle is normally closed and sealed by a cap during ship- 25 ment or when out of use to prevent the escape'by evaporation or otherwise of the liquid contents of the bottle.

The dispensing cap designated in general by the reference character M, comprises a top wall so ltand an annular skirt or flange l6 that is internally threaded as at ill to take the bottleneck threads l2 as illustrated, the free edge oi the cap flange it moving into engagement with. the abutment shoulder l3 on the bottle neck while 35 a gasket i8 is interposed between the outer end I501 the cap and end ofthe bottle neck H. A tubular boss. I9 centrally rises from the outer end wall I5 of the cap and an annular abutment shoulder l8 extends inwardly of the base por- 40 tion of the bore oi the boss defining a relatively small opening I9 at the inner end of the boss I 9.

A dropper lead 20 comprising a tubular stem that slightly tapers is removably and frictionally received within the boss Is with the lower end thereof engaged with the abutment shoulder IS. The bore of the stem 20 and opening Ill register to permit communication between the interior of the bottle and the atmosphere. An elongated pouring spout 25 extends transversely oi the outer 5o end of the stem 20, the spout being dished'and tapered toward one end asat 26, with the tapered end substantially V-shaped in cross section as illustrated in Figure 5 for confining and directing the flow of liquidi'rom the bottle. A

tubular stem 20 and opening I9 in the boss IS,

the inner end 23 of the wick terminating adjacent the upper end of the neck ll of the bottle to be normally spaced from the liquid contents of the bottle when the latter is in an upright position as illustrated in Figure 1. The outer end 24 of the wick 22 projects through the outer end of the tubular stem 20 into the pouring spout 25.

When it is desired to use the contents of the bottle Hi, the usual sealing cap, not illustrated, is removed and the dispensing cap l4 substituted therefor. It is also intended to have the cap ll remain on the bottle at all times and the bottle may be sealed when out of use or during shipment by removing the stem 20 and inserting a closure plug in the tubular boss I9. The bottle I0 is tilted or laid on its side as shown in Figure 2 so that the liquid contents L saturates the wick 22 to be carried thereby into the pouring spout 25 and discharged from the tapered end 26 of the spout. As the liquid L is of a volatile character, the heat from the palm of the hand is transmitted through the bottle to the liquid contents and the volatilization of the liquid regulated by the area of the hand of the user presented to the bottle efiects the feeding of the liquid under slight pressure with the liquid dispensed in drops and at the desired speed. The

use of an air vent in the cap I4 is unnecessary as the volatilization of the liquid regulated by the heat transmitted by the hand of the user through the bottle to the liquid exerts sufflcient pressure to effect the feeding of the liquid through the wick and over the trough. By the provision of the wick 22, unnecessary evaporation of the liquid is prevented during dispensing thereof and as noted; the speed or flow in drops or otherwise may be increased or decreased in accordance with the area of the bottle subjected to the hand of the user.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and use thereof will at once be apparent and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. Means for dispensing liquid comprising a cap mounted on a container and having an axial bore therethrough, a wick extending through the bore projecting beyond the outer end of the cap and a pouring spout extending transversely of the outer end of the cap with the wick extending into the spout.

2. Means for dispensing liquid comprising a cap mounted on a container and having an axial bore therethrough, a wick extending through the bore and projecting beyond the outer end of the cap and a pouring spout extending transversely of the outer end of the cap with the wick extending into the spout, the spout tapering towards one end and being of V-shape adjacent the discharge end thereof.

3. Means for dispensing liquid comprising a cap mounted on the neck .of a container, a stem projecting outwardly of the cap and having an axial bore extending therethrough to form communication between the interior of the container 2 and the atmosphere, 9. wick in the bore terminating at its inner end in the container neck and normally spaced from the liquid contents of the container, a pouring spout carried by and extending across the outer end of the stem, said spout being larger at one end and tapering towards the other end and the outer end of the wick project-- ing into the spout.

4.'Means for dispensing liquid comprising a cap mounted on the neck of a container, a tubular boss rising from the cap, a stem removably mounted in the boss and frictionally retained therein and having an axial bore extending therethrough to form communication between the interior of the container and the atmosphere, 9. wick in the bore terminating at its inner end in the neck of the container and normally spaced from the liquid contents of the container and a pouring spout carried by and extending across the outer end of the stem with the outer end of the wick extending into the spout.

. STANLEY WARD BURNHAM. 

